Water-going crafts such as sit-in kayaks, sit-on-top kayaks, and canoes are often subjected to forces that can cause the hull to flex, bend, contort, or the like. These forces, for example, are commonly experienced in whitewater kayaking. Sometimes, it is desirable that these forces not be absorbed by the watercraft. For example when a whitewater kayaker wants the watercraft to become airborne to perform aerial maneuvers, the kayaker will position the watercraft, with respect to the waves, in order to create forces strong enough to propel the kayak out of the water. If the hull flexes under the strain of these forces, some of the energy that would propel the kayak vertically will be absorbed by the hull and/or otherwise distributed throughout the watercraft. When this happens, the kayak does not attain as high of vertical above the water as it would have if the hull had not flexed or if the energy was redirected (or rebounded) from the kayak.
It is known to provide kayaks and other watercrafts (particularly those intended for aerial maneuvers) with thickened hulls to make them relatively rigid and not flex. One drawback to the use of a thickened hull is an increase in weight. However, the increase in weight reduces the height a kayak can reach when it is propelled out of the water. Also, heavier watercrafts may be harder to maneuver, thereby making certain “tricks” harder to perform. Further, thickened hulls do not always provide the desired energy recoil (e.g., bounce back, spring back, return, rebound, etc.) or provide enough structural support throughout the watercraft, including where grab loops are coupled to the deck. Further, hull flexing, and even damage to the watercraft, can occur when forces are applied to the grab loops fastened to the deck of the watercraft.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a watercraft with a structural support system that increases the rigidity of the hull. It would be advantageous to provide a watercraft with a structural support system that minimizes any increase in weight. It would also be advantageous to provide and/or incorporate the support system with an adjustable seat. It would also be advantageous to provide a watercraft with a support system such that grab loops located on the deck of the watercraft could be coupled to the support system thus spreading forces experienced by the grab loops over the whole of the support system. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a watercraft with adjustable thigh braces that could be adjusted to accommodate kayakers of various sizes, and provide structural support for the plastic coaming of the watercraft. It would be desirable to provide for a seating and structural support system for watercraft having one or more of these or other advantageous features.